A WORLD Environment Day guest speaker has told staff at South West Healthcare (SWH) that the therapeutic powers of gardens can help them improve their workflow and well-being. On Tuesday, award-winning horticulturalist Steven Wells made a presentation to staff and members of the public as part of a forum looking at the role therapeutic gardens play in healthcare settings. SWH is in the midst of creating a therapeutic garden for rehabilitation patients at Warrnambool Base Hospital. During a visit to the garden prior to his speaking engagement, Mr Wells said while the area will be a plus for the patients, it will also be a haven for staff. “It can be a place for staff to have a break from the wards,” Mr Wells said. “If they are a bit stressed, they can go out there on their break and catch their breath. “I like the holistic approach when it comes to looking after people. “We are great at looking after people who are physically sick but we also now have to look after each other emotionally because wellbeing plays a big part.” Mr Wells knows the world of health care well, having worked as a nurse at the Austin Hospital. While he was at the Austin, Mr Wells established a horticultural therapy program and also designed and helped implement the sensory and healing gardens at Austin Health’s Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre. This was part of the body of work that led him to win the 2012 ABC Gardening Australia magazine’s Garden of the Year award and the 2015 Churchill Fellowship. Mr Wells said he is thrilled to see SWH’s garden project taking shape. “We need more gardens at hospitals and health care centres,” he said. “They create a space that can be either active or passive, people can use it the best way it suits them.” Mr Wells said he liked gardens that move with the seasons. He said it was important to have that seasonality highlighted and to make sure the right shrubs and trees are planted to make this work.  SWH environmental sustainability project officer Elvira Hewson said she hoped Mr Wells’ visit would inspire dialogue about topics related to healthcare and sustainability. “Environmental sustainability involves addressing health system performance in terms of energy, water and waste practices,” Ms Hewson said. “But it also encompasses the need to foster built environments that protect and promote health.”    On Wednesday at 10am, Mr Wells will hold a forum at Camperdown Hospital.